Nepal-W cruise into SAFF Championship semis

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, June 1 : Nepal sailed into the semi-finals of the SAFF Women’s Championship underway in Goa, India, after registering a comfortable 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday.

With two successive victories, Nepal topped Group A with a maximum six points to secure their passage into the last-four stage. 

Nepal had previously opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Bhutan.

In their second group fixture, Nepal rode on goals from Rashmi Kumari Ghising and Captain Renuka Nagarkote to dismantle the Sri Lankan challenge.

An unmarked Ghising put Nepal ahead in first-half injury time, clinically exploiting a precise pass inside the penalty box from Rekha Paudel. 

The strike effectively ended Ghising’s seven-match goal drought, with her last international goal coming against Laos during the AFC Qualifiers. 

Her influential performance also earned her the Player of the Match accolade.

Captain Nagarkote, earning her 62nd international cap, subsequently doubled Nepal’s advantage in the 60th minute with her maiden international goal. 

The veteran midfielder unleashed a sublime 22-yard chip that sailed over the goalkeeper and straight into the back of the net.

Expressing her delight at securing a semi-final berth, Ghising thanked the travelling supporters in the stadium and promised to sustain their winning momentum in the upcoming knockout fixtures.

With this defeat, Sri Lanka bowed out of the tournament without a point, having lost both of their group stage matches.